Supporting rack



E. E. FAY

SUPPORTING RACK 0 Sept. 13, 1938.

Filed Oct. 25, 1937 Patented Sept. 13, 1938 UNITED STATES SUPPORTING RACK Edgar E. Fay,

New York, N. Y.

Application October 25, 1937, Serial No. 170,922

3 Claims.

This invention relates to supporting racks of the type embodying cantilever brackets supporting horizontal bars, and commonly used for the storage of furs or the like, although capable of general use. I

Cantilever brackets for supporting racks of the above kind have heretofore been of more or less complicated and expensive construction embodying a plurality of assembled parts separately constructed and secured together. The primary object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide an improved form of cantilever bracket for racks of this kind, which, although of simple onepiece construction, is strong and durable for effectively withstanding the strains imposed thereon, and may be readily secured in place.

A more specific object of the present invention is to provide an improved supporting bracket of the above kind including a supporting arm having an integral rod receiving and supporting member adapted for retaining engagement with said bar so as to prevent improper displacement of the latter relative to the bracket without the aid of separate bar retaining or securing means.

The present invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawing and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a pair of brackets constructed in accordance with the present invention and mounted upon a vertical post, the post being illustrated in horizontal section.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the construction shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 2, partly broken away, illustrating a modified form of bracket constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the construction shown in Figure 3; and

Figure 5 is a view somewhat similar to Figure 1 illustrating the use of a bracket at only one side of the supporting post, the bracket being of the form illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The form of bracket disclosed herein is more particularly intended for use in conjunction with a column or upright supporting standard 5 which may be of any suitable construction but is preferably of the form disclosed in my co-pending application for patent upon Supporting column, Serial Number 100,525, filed September 12, 1936. Ordinarily, the brackets are arranged in pairs at opposite sides of a post 5, but under certain circumstances the brackets may be arranged at only one side of the post 5 as illustrated in Figure 5, the brackets and posts being arranged in a row so that the outer ends of the brackets form a plurality of alined supports for a horizontal bar or bars B in the nature of pipes as return-bent as at 'l to provide a supporting arm 8 and an integral bar receiving and supporting portion 9 at the outer end of the arm 8. The major free end portions of the piece of metal are brought into contiguous relation to provide the supporting arm 8 of two thicknesses of metal affording sufficient strength and durability to withstand the strains to which the bracket is put, and the bent portion of the blank orpiece of metal forming the bar receiving and supporting member 9 is preferably in the form of an open loop having alined notches It provided in the opposite sides thereof for reception of the horizontal bar B. The bracket is preferably constructed of sheet metal possessing resiliency, and the notches ID are of undercut form of a size and shape to necessitate forcing or snapping of the bars B into the notches Ill, whereby said bars are effectively retained in engagement with the brackets against accidental displacement from the notches l0, although capable of forcible removal. The retaining engagement of the bars B in the notches Ill may be both mechanical and frictional as in Figures 1 and 2 or merely frictional as in Figures 3 and 1. The mechanical retaining engagement in Figures 1 and 2 is provided for by reason of the fact that the notches III are of slightly more than semi-circular so as to provide for reception of slightly more than onehalf of the circumference of the pipe form of bar B in the notches Ill when said pipe form of bar is snapped into said notches I t as in the construction of Figures 1 and 2. However, in both forms of the invention the round or flat form of bar is frictionally gripped so as to retain such bar in place without the aid of additional or separate retaining or securing devices. Naturally, where the fiat form of bar is to be used as in Figures 3 and 4, the notches lila are of substantially rectangular form, while the notches E0 of the form shown in Figures 1, 2 and 5 are of substantially semi-circular form. The portions of the sheet metal blank which form the supporting arm 8 are of similar form and preferably have horizontal upper edges and downwardly and inwardly inclined lower edges so as to provide the inner end of supporting arm 8 with a relatively long inner edge. In other words, the supporting arm 8 increases in depth toward the post 5.

The inner end of the cantilever bracket may be secured to the upright post 5 in any suitable manner, and I have illustrated for this purpose a plurality of substantially semi-circular clamping plates or strips ll having apertured ends receiving bolts l2 which also pass through openings provided in the inner ends of the bracket arms 8, the clamping strips or members I I being thereby firmly secured about the post 5 so as to hold the inner ends of the brackets firmly against the post 5. Naturally, a rack embodying the present form of bracket may also include suitable shelving disposed inwardly of the bars B as is common and well known in the art. When the rack is used for fur storage purposes, the bars B may receive garment hangers on which the fur garments are hung.

From the foregoing description, it is believed that the purpose and construction of the present invention, as well as its advantages, will be readily understood and appreciated by those skilled in the art. It will be seen that the present in vention provides for the economical construction of a simple and durable cantilever bracket which may be readily secured in place and which is of one-piece construction so as to avoid the necessity of providing and assembling a number of separately formed independent parts. At the same time, the bracket includes an integral barreceiving and supporting member possessing resiliency and constructed to grip and thereby retain the bar supported thereby.

What I claim as new is:

1. A bracket comprising a supporting arm and a bar-receiving and supporting member both formed of a single piece of sheet metal return bent intermediate its ends, the major free end portions of said piece of sheet metal forming the supporting arm of two thicknesses of material, and the portion of the sheet metal adjacent the bend providing said bar-receiving and supporting member and embodying two thicknesses having transverse alined notches to receive the bar, said thicknesses of the bar-receiving and supporting member being spaced apart and having the notches thereof formed to require forcible engagement of the bar therein and to set up gripping engagement with said bar.

2. A bracket comprising integral supporting arm and bar-receiving and supporting portions, said bracket comprising a single piece of sheet metal return bent intermediate its ends to form an open loop adjacent the bend affording spaced parts having transverse alined notches to receive a bar, the major end portions of the piece of metal being brought into contiguous relation to provide said supporting arm.

3. A bracket comprising integral supporting arm and bar-receiving and supporting portions, said bracket comprising a single piece of sheet metal return bent intermediate its ends to form an open loop adjacent the bend affording spaced parts having transverse alined notches to receive a bar, the major end portions of the piece of metal being brought into contiguous relation to provide said supporting arm, said open loop being resilient and the notches thereof being slightly greater than semi-circular form for mechanical and frictional retaining engagement with a bar of circular form and of a size requiring snapping of said bar into said notches.

EDGAR E. FAY. 

